HCA gets modest in Jacksonville
Posted on November 12, 2009 at 9:09 amRather than the 150 beds they had originally envisioned at their third Jacksonville hospital, HCA officials have dialed back their plans to about $130 million. But that doesn’t appear to have persuaded Ascension Health’s area execs to drop their opposition to HCA’s intentions.
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If you wanted to nitpick HCA’s numbers…
Posted on November 5, 2009 at 1:33 pmSheryl Skolnick at Pali Research is impressed by the growth in cash flow and admissions at HCA. But she’s not thrilled about bad debt or the expense item that accounts for 42 percent of the hospital giant’s operating costs.
The increase in bad debt is one thing. More troubling than that was the higher than expected labor costs as a percent of revenue: HCA appears to have lost some leverage here.
SEE ALSO: HCA volume growth best since ‘02
Union suing HCA over flu shots
Posted on November 4, 2009 at 11:39 am
The Service Employees International Union says the country’s biggest hospital operator can’t unilaterally require employees to wear surgical masks if they haven’t been immunized against the H1N1 virus.
Union officials say the policy should have been subject to negations since it affects employment terms, but HCA has declined to bargain. HCA officials said the policy is part of their comprehensive infection-control program to protect workers and patients, and they plan to continue moving forward with it.
HCA employees do good
Posted on October 19, 2009 at 9:49 pmHCA recently wrapped up its 2009 ‘Caring for the Community’ campaign at headquarters, where a record number of employees contributed to a total of more than $2 million in donations.
It included two “HCA Community Days” on September 15 and September 24, during which 1,639 HCA employees volunteered nearly 10,000 hours of company time, representing an in-kind contribution of about $200,000, to work on 108 projects at agencies throughout Middle Tennessee.
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SEC investigating HCA
Posted on October 7, 2009 at 8:55 amThe Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether Nashville-based hospital operator HCA Inc. fabricated “tens of thousands of payments for phantom nursing shifts,” the Washington Post reported today. The probe focuses, at least in part, on HCA’s London operations, according to the Post’s report, which cites documents and people close to the investigation, as well as a statement from the company confirming it has been contacted by the SEC.
UPDATE: HCA released the following statement:
“We are aware that a former employee in our London payroll department is seeking money in a civil employment lawsuit, and she has made assertions about the accuracy of our nurse scheduling systems and the related compensation paid in our six UK hospitals. This former employee has made similar allegations to local authorities in London who have declined to investigate. Her allegations have no merit, and we are vigorously defending the employment litigation. We also have received a voluntary request for related information from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. We have provided requested information and look forward to working with them to conclude this inquiry.”
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HCA director steps down for political run
Posted on September 25, 2009 at 12:30 am
Steve Pagliuca, a managing director of Bain Capital Partners and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, has resigned from the board of HCA after launching a run for the U.S. Senate seat held until recently by the late Ted Kennedy. Pagliuca had been on HCA’s board since the company went private three years ago.
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HCA Vegas hospital sued over alleged assault
Posted on September 23, 2009 at 9:20 am
A woman who was treated two years ago at HCA’s Mountain View hospital in Sin City says staff allowed a man to enter her room and rape her while she was in a ‘coma-like’ state. Company officials say this is the first they’ve heard of the alleged incident.
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HCA inks Florida deal with Humana
Posted on September 22, 2009 at 1:19 pmThe Nashville hospital giant has come to terms with Humana on a two-year deal that covers more than 600,000 Floridians.
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HCA gets nod for Virginia hospital
Posted on September 21, 2009 at 3:43 pm
After a previous plan went nowhere but the courts, HCA officials in Virginia have received approval from state regulators to build a 164-bed hospital in Loudon County.
StoneSpring may tread a very smoother path as it lacks a public outcry against the location. According to Faust, “Our proposal has been met with strong support. People see he need for another hospital in Loudoun.”
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Two local health care players on IT best-of list
Posted on September 15, 2009 at 10:59 am
Healthways has been ranked 35th on the annual InformationWeek 500 list of top information technology organizations. The only other locally headquartered ranked in the top list’s top half is HCA. First Horizon, the Memphis-based parent of First Tennessee Bank, also ranks in the top 50.
SEE ALSO: Healthways’ release on the topic
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At HCA, it’s the shot, the mask or the door
Posted on September 14, 2009 at 6:59 amA Houston Chronicle piece on hospitals’ flu prevention programs sheds some light on how strongly HCA Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Perlin feels about the issue when it comes to workers with direct patient contact.
Those who can’t get vaccinated for medical or religious reasons will be asked to wear a mask, said Jonathan Perlin, president of clinical services and chief medical officer for the Nashville-based HCA, which has nine hospitals and 12,000 employees in the Houston area.
For those who won’t, he said, HCA will consider that as a resignation.
‘Without a reasonably sound factual basis’
Posted on September 4, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman has overruled the Tennessee Health Services Development Agency’s decision to let HCA build a $104 million, 56-bed hospital in Spring Hill. In her ruling, Bonnyman said the agency’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious and is unsupported in the record by substantial and material evidence.” Nashville-based HCA can appeal the decision to the Tennessee Court of Appeals.
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HCA joins sustainability group
Posted on September 1, 2009 at 12:01 pmThe nation’s largest hospital company has signed up with Virginia-based Practice Greenhealth, an umbrella group that seeks to promote environmental practices in the industry.
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HCA laying off in Vegas
Posted on August 20, 2009 at 8:11 am
The Nashville-based hospital operator is cutting about 100 jobs at its Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Sin City. The company says the layoffs, which will include managers and support staff, are primarily due to lower reimbursements and a rise in the number of uninsured patients. HCA last month appointed a new COO at Sunrise.
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HCA restates cash flow numbers
Posted on August 17, 2009 at 9:41 amThe hospital giant has amended its financial statements to comply with FAS 160, an accounting rule that became effective Jan. 1 and calls for a change in the way companies represent outsiders’ stakes in controlled subsidiaries. The restatement doesn’t affect net income or shareholders’ equity numbers, but does boost the company’s 2006-2008 cash flows from operations by $504 million.
HCA’s move follows that of AmSurg last week. Hmm, think there will be others?
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